Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor

Publicado: 16/01/2025 : 04:11 | Actualizado: 16/01/2025 : 04:34 |

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Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor
The author poses in front of the entrance to Bukit Aman and Royal Malaysian Police headquarters with the work for which he was arrested. Photo: Fahmi Reza

After the historic relentless persecution and judicial harassment of cartoonist Zunar, the Malaysian government has a new "enemy". It is cartoonist and activist Fahmi Reza.

Reza was once again detained for a drawing, this time for 24 hours. Sabah police arrested him for publishing a satirical illustration against the new governor of Sabah state, Musa Aman. He was released on bail late in the afternoon of 31 December 2024.

Cartoonist for Peace reports, echoing various local media reports, that on 30 December 2024, Fahmi Reza was summoned to the Penampang district police station to give evidence in connection with a cartoon critical of the governor, where he was arrested and detained by order of a local magistrate under the Sedition Act.

The "offensive" cartoon shows Musa Aman, newly appointed governor of Sabah state, holding a 100 ringgit note in his teeth. Although he has never been convicted, he was accused of corruption during his tenure as Sabah's chief minister from 2003 to 2018.

Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor 1

According to local press, the cartoonist's arrest came in the context of a demonstration by more than 200 young students and activists against the appointment of Musa Aman and calling for an end to corruption in the state of Sabah.

Fahmi Reza's cartoon was posted on the artist's Instagram account, then reproduced as a poster and displayed in various locations in Sabah, including the state capital Kota Kinabalu.

Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor 2

The artist shared photos of these installations on his social networks, which the authorities were quick to remove.

Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor 3

According to the investigator in charge of the case, more than 50 complaints have been filed against Reza. According to media outlets such as The Borneo Post, the complaints were mainly filed by members of the ruling party, "Gabungan Rakyat Sabah" (Sabah People's Coalition), as well as individuals and groups close to the party. Mohd Syarezan Abdul Samat, secretary of the non-profit organisation Pertubuhan Lima Generasi in Sabah, told the press that he called on the state government "to ban Fahmi Reza, who is currently in Sabah, from entering the state as he is only creating chaos and disturbing unity".

On 19 December 2024, the artist had already been summoned to Kuala Lumpur by the Royal Malaysian Police for questioning about his depiction of Musa Aman. Shortly afterwards, according to a statement by the youth wing of the People's Justice Party (PKR), Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim publicly stated that Fahmi Reza should not be prosecuted for his satirical work and that criticism of the government and its leaders was acceptable.

After spending the night of 30-31 December in detention, he was released on bail and returned to Kuala Lumpur. The investigation is still open, as the cartoonist is being prosecuted for allegedly insulting the new governor of Sabah State under the Sedition Act 1948.

The law provides for imprisonment of up to three years and/or a fine of the equivalent of about US$1,100 for such offences. Malaysian civil society groups and human rights activists criticise Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for failing to keep his election promises to repeal laws that restrict freedom of expression and stifle dissent.

In the face of corruption allegations against the governor of Sabah state, the rights group Aliran criticises his detention and calls for all charges against him to be dropped, arguing that citizens have "the constitutional right to peacefully express their concerns about these matters of public interest, as Fahmi has done through his art".

From conviction to conviction

Since March 2021, Fahmi Reza has been summoned by the police at least nine times, arrested four times, detained three times, charged twice and even banned from leaving the country.

But before that he was also persecuted for his cartoons. In 2018, he was convicted and sentenced for a cartoon of former Prime Minister Najib Razak in clown make-up with the message "In a country full of corruption, we are all seditious". For this image he was on the verge of jail. Eventually, the Malaysian High Court commuted the sentence and reduced his sentence from one month's imprisonment and a fine of RM30,000 to only a fine of RM10,000. See story.

In 2020, Najib Razak was sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption.

Fahmi Reza's jail sentence commuted for drawing Malaysian prime minister as a clown
Fahmi Reza and painting the cartoon for which he was convicted

In February 2022, he was re-arrested and charged under section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for the second time this year (the first court move was on 10 February on account of this other travesty) and released on bail of RM3,000 (about EUR 700).

He also ran into legal trouble over a drawing, posted on Facebook on 1 June 2021, depicting a toast with Carlsberg cans above the caption:"Carlsberg for all".

Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor 5

The illustration was a satire on the decision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry to approve all factories producing alcohol to operate as "essential services" during the national shutdown due to COVID-19.

The decision provoked a public outcry that led the government to reverse its decision and ban the breweries from operating until the containment was relaxed.

On 14 April of the same year, he was arrested again for this drawing he posted on the internet showing a chimpanzee in kingly attire.

Fahmi Reza, the cartoonist prosecuted for insulting a Malaysian governor 6

It was a satirical response to the purchase of a painting by the Sultan of Malaysia, Sharafuddin of Selangor, which, to top it all, is a painting with a satirical scene depicting lawmakers on both sides of the Malaysian parliament as monkeys, apes and frogs, but not Speaker Tan Sri Azhar Azizan Harun and his deputies.

In Malaysia, "frog" is also used as a euphemism for elected legislators who switch parties and political affiliations.

Iranian cartoonist Atena Farghadani sentenced to six years in jail

Humour in trouble, a collection of cases
Cases of cartoonists who have had problems of some importance because of their cartoons or satirical illustrations. There are also some stories of other people who, without being cartoonists, have got into trouble for sharing them.


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